


we don't believe what's on tv

by bradfordswoody



Series: Prompted [1]
Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, BadBoy!Zayn, Cliche, M/M, nerd!liam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 20:15:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11790645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bradfordswoody/pseuds/bradfordswoody
Summary: Liam is a "nerd". Zayn is a "badboy". They shouldn't really work, but they do.





	we don't believe what's on tv

**Author's Note:**

> I think I'm going to start of series of small works that are basically tumblr prompts that I probably posted on Wattpad years ago. My usual warnings apply. This is purely a work of fiction. Please enjoy xx

It shouldn’t work like this, but it does. They’re probably the greatest cliché known to man, but it doesn’t really matter. See Liam’s never been a fan of labels, yet he understands it when people call him a geek. His thick glasses that frame his light brown eyes or his slight infatuation with comic books. But it’s not like he’s completely nerdy since he isn’t all that good at school and he’s not that bad looking. (Or at least that’s what Zayn tells him when Liam’s jeans hang a little too low on his waist and expose his tan skin underneath or when Liam wears a tank top that shows off his impressive biceps.) Liam doesn’t exactly live up to the stereotypical nerd.

But Zayn captures several stereotypes all at once, without even trying to. Everyone assumes he’s an asshole that loves leather jackets in the spring and wearing sunglasses indoors – which he only really does so he can fall asleep in class. There’s also Zayn’s affinity for smoking. It’s not uncommon for people in their grade to smoke, but Zayn’s look matches his actions a little too well. He’ll show up to school with ripped jeans and a beanie on his head, shirt littered with coffee stains and flecks of dried paint, which Liam means his effort in his appearance was minimal, but everyone is still impressed with how gorgeous he looks. Zayn has tattoos and piercings, and Liam fucking loves them but again, it helps everyone to assume. 

But Liam’s absolute favorite thing about Zayn is his eyes. They practically shine in any light. They glow with confidence and mischief but when Liam looks closer Zayn reveals the vulnerability he’s been hiding the whole time. Only Liam gets to see that. 

Today, Liam waits for Zayn in the front of the school, his book for English pressed against his chest when the tan boy pulls into the parking lot on the motorcycle he got for his birthday last year. The rumbling of the engine sparks conversation among his peers, especially the ladies who can’t seem to take their eyes off of Zayn. Zayn parks his bike and pulls of his helmet – not a single hair sticking out of place surprisingly, Zayn is either lucky or magic to never get helmet hair – immediately pulling the pack of fags out of his back pocket and lighting up. It’s then that Liam gets distracted by Zayn’s lips – Liam’s second favorite – pulling long drags and letting the smoke settle in his lungs for a second before puffing out little rings of smoke in order to prepare him for a long day ahead. Liam looks away quickly before he gets caught staring and waits for Zayn to approach him. 

Zayn’s only a few feet away when Liam reaches out to pluck the cigarette from Zayn’s mouth and replaces it with his own. Zayn exhales the smoke into Liam’s mouth instead and Liam gladly takes it knowing that they both love being greeted like this. He can feel the eyes of the other students as he savors the feeling of Zayn’s lips on his but he doesn’t mind their stares. No one expected them to become a couple, hell no one even expected Zayn to be gay. I guess that’s why you shouldn’t assume, Liam thinks. It’s funny though. Zayn had some sort of bad boy reputation, yet he’s better at academics than Liam. He’s missed class a few times for a smoke but that was very few. People are just funny like that. 

When they’re done saying hello, without actually saying hello – actually saying fuck, I missed you even though it was only overnight – Liam snuffs out the fag on the ground and turns to the doors. Zayn slings his arm around Liam’s waist as they enter the school careful to avoid teachers, mostly because PDA is still against the rules even if all the teachers support their relationship completely. They stop at Zayn’s locker to get his chemistry notebook then continue walking through the halls without disruption. 

When the two first came out people were skeptical. Many of them were focused more on the fact that it was Zayn with Liam rather that that guy with that other guy which is always a good sign. All the girls that wanted Zayn tried to convince him that he deserved better than a dork like Liam while all of Liam’s classmates tried to convince him that he didn’t have to settle for a jerk like Zayn. Other than that things looked good for them. People still don’t believe that Liam isn’t afraid when Zayn drives them around town on his bike, or think Zayn passed his test on his own without taking any notes from Liam. Some still believe that they’re just fucking. But Liam and Zayn know who and what to believe. 

They stop when they reach the outside of Liam’s classroom, Zayn stroking the back of Liam’s hand while the boys presses a soft reminder the patch of skin behind Zayn’s ear that he’ll see him at lunch because they haven’t had more than one period together this entire year. 

At the end of the day Zayn let’s Liam complain about the math test he got back today and barely passed. Liam is still upset even as he throws his leg over Zayn’s bike and wraps his hands around Zayn’s torso underneath his leather jacket. The stares they get as people pass them to walk to their cars are minimal. And maybe it’s a little cliché, Liam being a geek and Zayn being a bad boy, but they’re okay with it.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought? thanks loves xx


End file.
